How to reset a Canon printer after a firmware or ink error the power cycle, the support codes, and the override that keeps you printing

Most Canon ink errors are not a dead printer. They are the machine refusing to trust a cartridge or print head it cannot read cleanly, and a proper reset clears the large majority of them. The trick is doing the reset the right way, then matching the on-screen support code to the fix Canon actually recommends instead of guessing. This guide walks the safe path in order: power cycle first, then reseat and clean, then the official override that lets you keep printing, and finally a full settings reset if you need it.

The short version: Turn the printer off with its own power button first, not by pulling the plug, so the print head parks and caps itself. Then unplug for 60 seconds and power back on. That single step clears most Canon cartridge and print head errors. If a specific support code (a four-digit number like 1401 or 1686) is on screen, match it to the section below rather than resetting blindly. Unlike HP, Canon does not firmware-lock third-party ink, so a compatible cartridge that stopped working is a seating, chip or ink-level issue, not a lockout.

Do this first: the correct Canon power cycle

A clean power cycle resets the printer's temporary memory, which is where most stuck cartridge and print head errors live. Order matters, because yanking the cord can leave the print head uncapped and drying out.

Press the printer's ON button to turn it off normally. Wait for the carriage to move and the lights to settle, which is the head parking and capping itself.
Unplug the power cord from the back of the printer, or from the wall. Leave it out for at least 60 seconds so the internal memory fully clears.
Plug it back in and press ON. Let it finish its startup routine before you touch anything.

Test a page. If the error is gone, you are done, and nothing else in this guide is needed. If it returns, note the exact support code on the screen or in the Canon software and read on. That number tells you whether you are dealing with a cartridge, a print head, or a simple ink-level warning, and each has a different fix.

Know which Canon system you have

Canon PIXMA printers come in two designs, and the fix depends on which one you own.

FINE cartridge printers use two all-in-one cartridges, a black and a colour, where the print head is built into the cartridge itself. These take PG and CL numbers such as PG-243 and CL-244, or PG-275 and CL-276. Most entry PIXMA TS, TR, MG and MX models work this way.
Individual ink tank printers use a separate, reusable print head plus four or more individual tanks. These take PGI and CLI numbers such as PGI-250 and CLI-251. Higher PIXMA models (MG5000, MG6000, MG7000, TS6000, TS8000, TR7000, TR8000 and MAXIFY) work this way.

It matters because a FINE printer's errors are almost always about the cartridge, while a tank printer can also throw a separate print head error that a cartridge swap will not touch. If you are not sure which you have, look up your model on its page on this site: the cartridge it lists (PG/CL versus PGI/CLI) tells you the system. For example the PIXMA MG2522 is a FINE printer, while the PIXMA MG7520 uses individual tanks and a separate head.

Decode the support code

Canon shows a four-digit support code with almost every error. Here is what the common cartridge and print head codes mean, in Canon's own terms. The exact number can vary slightly by model, so always confirm against your printer's code list, but the meaning and fix are consistent.

1401 or 1403: the print head is not installed, not recognised, or wrong. This is a tank-printer code. Reseat the print head, not just the tanks.
1430 or 1682: a FINE cartridge cannot be recognised. Reseat it, clean the contacts, and if it still fails the cartridge chip may be damaged.
1485: the wrong FINE cartridge is installed, meaning it is not compatible with this model. Check the part number against your printer's supported list.
1684: the ink cartridge may not be installed properly or may not be compatible. Reseat it, or fit the correct cartridge.
1686: the printer has detected an ink issue, usually that a cartridge reads empty or its remaining level cannot be confirmed. This one can be overridden so you keep printing (see below).
1688: a cartridge is out of ink. Same override applies.
1660: an ink tank is not installed. Fit or reseat the flagged tank until it clicks and its lamp lights.

The pattern is simple. Codes about recognition (1401, 1403, 1430, 1682, 1684) are fixed by reseating and cleaning. Codes about ink level (1686, 1688) are fixed by replacing the cartridge or overriding the warning.

Clear a cartridge or print head not-recognised error

Work through these in order and test after each step. Stop as soon as the error clears.

Reseat the cartridge. Open the cover, wait for the carriage to slide to the centre, then remove and refit each cartridge firmly until it clicks. On a FINE printer make sure the locking cover snaps fully shut. A cartridge that is even slightly proud reads as not installed.
Check the obvious. Confirm the orange shipping tape and any protective cap are fully removed, and that the top air vent on tank cartridges is open. A blocked vent or leftover tape is a very common cause.
Clean the chip and contacts. Power the printer off first. Wipe the small gold or copper contact pad on the cartridge with a dry, lint-free cloth. If it is still dirty, a lightly moistened swab with a touch of isopropyl alcohol works, then let it dry a few minutes before refitting. Do not touch the pad with bare fingers.
On a tank printer, reseat the print head. If you have a 1401 or 1403 code, lift the grey locking lever, remove the whole print head assembly, wipe its contacts and the matching pins in the carriage, then slide it back in fully and lock the lever. Refit the tanks afterwards.
Test with a known-good cartridge. If one specific cartridge keeps failing after all of the above, the fault is that cartridge, not the printer. A genuine Canon tank or a replacement from your seller will confirm it.

Override an ink-level error and keep printing

If your code is 1686 or 1688, the printer is not broken and the cartridge is not blocked. It has simply decided the ink is empty or that it can no longer track the level, which happens with refilled and some compatible cartridges because the chip cannot report a true level. Canon builds in an official override for exactly this.

To keep printing, press and hold the printer's Stop button for at least five seconds, then release it. That disables ink-level detection for the flagged cartridge. Any ink actually left in it will keep printing until it runs dry. This is Canon's own documented instruction.

Two honest caveats. First, once you disable level detection the printer can no longer warn you when that cartridge is genuinely empty, so watch your prints for fading and running the head dry on an empty cartridge is bad for it. Second, if the cartridge really is out of ink, the override buys you the remainder and nothing more. Replace it when quality drops.

Reset the printer to its default settings

If a power cycle and reseating did not clear a stubborn state, a settings reset is the next step. This clears network and configuration settings, so you may need to reconnect to Wi-Fi afterwards. It does not physically fix a cartridge, so only use it when the error looks like stuck software rather than a hardware or ink fault.

On models with a touchscreen or menu: open Setup or the gear icon, then Device settings or Printer settings, then Reset settings or Reset setting, and choose Reset all. Confirm when prompted.

On small button-only models (such as the entry TS and TR range) the menus are limited, so the power cycle above is usually the practical reset, combined with reseating the cartridges. Some of these models expose a reset only through the Canon software on a connected computer.

After any reset, run a nozzle check and, if lines are missing, a cleaning or deep cleaning cycle from the maintenance menu. That confirms the head is firing on every colour before you trust it with a real job.

Did a firmware update block your ink? Canon versus HP

This is worth stating plainly, because it is the fear that sends people here. Canon does not firmware-lock third-party ink the way HP does. HP printers run a feature called Dynamic Security that can reject non-HP cartridges outright after an update. Canon has no equivalent that bricks a compatible cartridge.

What Canon does do is show warnings on non-genuine or refilled ink, an ink-level detection message, or a prompt that it cannot guarantee the cartridge. The cartridge still prints, and the override above clears the warning. So if a compatible Canon cartridge stopped working right after an update, the realistic causes are a seating fault, a dirty or weak chip, or the cartridge reaching empty, not a lockout. Reseat, clean, and if needed override.

If you want to see exactly which brands and models can and cannot block third-party ink, we keep a sourced list in our printer firmware-DRM tracker. The short version: HP can lock and so can Epson's cartridge models. Brother does not, and neither does Epson EcoTank. Canon, the brand this page is about, publishes nothing either way and carries no lockout we have been able to source.

When a reset will not fix it

A reset clears software and recognition faults. It cannot repair failed hardware, so know when to stop resetting and change tack.

The same 1401 or 1403 print head code returns after reseating, cleaning contacts, and testing a genuine cartridge. On tank printers this points to a failing print head. Canon prints heads are replaceable parts (QY6 series numbers), but on cheaper models a replacement head can cost close to a new printer, so weigh it up.
Nozzle checks stay blank on one colour after two or three deep cleaning cycles. That colour channel is clogged or the head is worn. More cleaning past this point mostly wastes ink.
A 5B00 or similar service code appears. These are waste-ink or internal service errors, not something a cartridge reset addresses.

Before spending on a repair, compare the cost against a new printer and check whether the machine is still in warranty. And if you are replacing it anyway, a printer from a brand that does not lock ink keeps your future cartridge choices open. You can see the exact cartridge each Canon model uses, and its cost per page, on that model's page on this site: for example the PIXMA TS6420 and PIXMA TR8620.

Common questions

How do I hard reset a Canon PIXMA printer?

Turn it off with the ON button so the print head parks, unplug the power cord for at least 60 seconds, then plug it back in and power on. That clears the printer's temporary memory and resolves most stuck cartridge and print head errors. For a deeper reset, use Setup then Device settings then Reset settings then Reset all, but note that clears your network settings too.

My Canon says the cartridge is not recognised even though it is new. Why?

Usually the contacts are dirty or the cartridge is not fully seated, not that the cartridge is faulty. Power off, wipe the gold chip with a dry lint-free cloth, confirm all orange tape is removed and the vent is open, then refit firmly until it clicks. If a support code like 1430 or 1682 persists on a FINE cartridge after that, the chip may be damaged and the cartridge needs replacing.

How do I bypass a Canon ink-empty or ink-level error?

For an ink-level or ink-empty error such as support code 1686 or 1688, press and hold the printer's Stop button for at least five seconds, then release. That is Canon's official override: it disables ink-level detection for the flagged cartridge so you can keep printing on whatever ink remains. The trade-off is the printer can no longer warn you when that cartridge is truly empty.

Does Canon block compatible or refilled cartridges with firmware?

No. Canon does not firmware-lock third-party ink the way HP's Dynamic Security does. Canon may show a non-genuine warning or an ink-level detection message, but the cartridge still prints and the warning can be cleared. If a compatible Canon cartridge stopped working, the cause is seating, a dirty or weak chip, or the cartridge running empty, not a lockout.

What does support code 1401 or 1403 mean on a Canon printer?

On individual-tank PIXMA models these codes mean the print head is not installed, not recognised, or wrong. Reseat the whole print head assembly, not just the ink tanks: lift the grey lever, remove the head, clean its contacts and the carriage pins, refit it fully and lock the lever. If the code returns after cleaning and a known-good cartridge, the print head is likely failing.

Keep reading

Why did my printer stop accepting compatible ink after an update the HP Dynamic Security story, and why Canon is different.
Printer firmware-DRM tracker our sourced list of which printers can block third-party ink.
Find your Canon model and its exact cartridge with cost per page versus compatibles.
It will not print black and only a colour is empty what to do when the empty tank is the reason for the code.
Waste ink pads and maintenance boxes support codes 1700 and 5B00 are a full ink absorber, not a cartridge fault.

Sources

Canon Inkjet Manuals, support code 1682, FINE cartridge cannot be recognized (cause and action). ij.manual.canon
Canon Inkjet Manuals, support code 1686, ink issue detected and the five-second Stop-button override to disable ink-level detection. ij.manual.canon
Canon USA Support, support code 1684, ink cartridge may not be installed properly or may not be compatible. support.usa.canon.com
Canon PIXMA TS3300 series Online Manual, List of Support Code for Error (full code index). manualslib.com
Canon Community, PIXMA ink cartridge not recognized, reseat the print head and ink tanks (support advice). community.usa.canon.com

Last updated 13 September 2026. This guide is general information, not a repair warranty. Printer menus and HP's model lists change, so confirm the exact steps for your model on the manufacturer's support site before you make changes.